New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-05
EXPLOSIVES IN BOTTLES.
THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD ATTACKED.

AN ATTEMPT TO BURN THE JERSEY CITY STATION
AND THE FERRYDOAT CHICAGO.
Tho Jersey City police authorities and the Pennsylva
MIA Railroad officials making thorough Investigator
Of the attempts which made Thursday night and
yesterday morning to destroy the companys station IN
Jersey City and OF the feryboas The attempt upon
the ferryboat not discovered until about 1880 m
yesterday. although It made the IL p. m trip
Thursday night James Anderson. the janitor Of the
waiting in the station, sitting on one OF the
settees about 1890 talking with two or three other
employees The last train had gone fifteen minutes before
and the men had nothing to do Aman apparently drunk
entered the from the ferry side and staggered toward
the mems oileroom which In the northeast corner OF
the building and adloins the smokngro0m As the man
had no right to be that hour Anderson followed
him with the intention Of eectng him. As he entered the
toetroom the antor noticed peculiar 0dor and looked
to see what caused It, 1t was an odor
Of sulphur such might be caused by
igniting quantity OF sulphur matches. The man was
standing inside the door looking at something and as
Anderson followed the direction of his eyes he bot
tie lying on the floor 1t square bottle with wide
mouth, such s used for pickles, and lying alongside
OF 1t were cork about large In circumference as
y-cent piece piece Of lead shaped like capsule
Anderson picked up the bottle and put 1t to
his nose. but the sulphurous smell was 80 over
powering that he dropped It, Immediately there was
loud explosion and q fash OF fire. while liquid flame
oozed from the broken bottle and spread
over the floor Anderson although nearly terror stricken.
picked up piece OF board and began to beat out inc
The other employees ran into the and two Of them
brought reextinguishera The use OF the exngushers
from them poured the fire the more intensely the
flames burned and the employees were on the point OF
when 1t seen that the fire was gradu-
ally dying out The flames ,Sn ,Sn Sas Sas sn
consumed During all the excitement the drunken man IAN
stood looking Instead OF helping TO put out me IRE
ha knnt urCfuQ
It can't do any harm. Let it burn' After the fire was
% @ 9eS se pPSs TO Se fSy Ss " was
when he arrested by Policeman Morris. He was
taken to tho First Precinct Police Station where ne gave
Moore aud West sts., New-York
Crawford OF the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad talking over
tie affair in the supernendents office yesterday morn
with him cork and piece Of lead shaped like cap
sulc similar TO those found in the waiting-room He
said they had been picked in the women,s cabin OF
tempt had been made to destroy the boat About p %
THURSDAY as ,1oms one tho 90 Tue eaon
he noticed a strong smell Of sulphur and and
q large ipouth. From the description given the bottle
precisely like the one used In the station II was
cabin. Holt picked the bottle up smellcd It, and
nearly overpowercd by the odor lie dropped the bottle
not notice liquid stuff had ont OF the bottle
and spread the oOr but II was discovered yester
ored man. began to sprinkle the cabin floor
preparatory TO sweeping It. Ihe water naa no
in contact with the other liquid than laes
blazed up. There several passengers In the cabin
and excitement ensued but subsidized when the
flames were extnguished Johnson found the cork aud
piece of lead and took them to tho superntendents
office.
Dr. C. u. Dudley, the railroad company's chemist,
says that he believes the bottles contained mi xture
OF muratic acid aud PHOSPHORUS. Such mixture
would burst into flames coming In contact with water
lie also thinks that they might have contained some
other ingredient which would explode under conclusion
Detectives learned yesterday that Hennessv was
formerly In the employ OF the company he w9rxeG H "a
the upholstery department In the meadow shop but was
discharged about six months ago. lie has wiie and
or his intemperate habits He denies all knowledge OF
the Internal machines and the explosion and saws that
he was on his way home when the policeman arrested
him Chief Murphy OF the opinion that he has ueeI
made o tool OF by conspirators